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<h1>
    BOB THE BUILDER
</h1>

<p class="albumList">
  <a href="#album">Bob The Builder: The Album</a><br />
</p>

<p>Worry not: this website isn't turning into Sir Mustapha's TV Soundtrack Album Reviews, no siree. This is just me, again, trying to diversify, deviate from the norm, go against the expectation. This is <em>ME</em> reviewing <em>Bob The Builder</em>. This isn't the first time I do something "questionable" like this: after all, the Simpsons page is there for everyone to see. But The Simpsons are a popular show, viewed by millions around the world, from children to adults (and it is really an adult show). But <em>Bob The Builder</em>? Who the heck <em>is</em> Bob The Builder?</p>

<p>Well, if you live in the UK, you probably shouldn't be making that question. Bob The Builder is that <em>really</em> popular character from that <em>really</em> popular children's programme produced in England and viewed in over thirty countries. I got in contact with it through Discovery Kids, a channel that's responsible for airing kids' shows like that in Latin America. Since that's the channel my young niece likes to watch, it's the one the TV at home is tuned on the most. And as a result, I end up watching several of those shows. And to put it shortly, Bob The Builder is, by far, one of the cleverest, funniest and most <em>beautiful</em> series I've seen so far. The stop-motion animation is fascinating, the stories are all intelligently written, and the characters are extremely charismatic and lovable. It's quite impressive how the show can be educational and entertaining for children, and <em>also</em> interesting and enjoyable by adults as well.</p>

<p>Anyway, reading a little about Bob on the Internet, I read about the show's theme tune single being released on the UK, and I got particularly delighted at how it shot up straight into the #1 and knocked an <em>Eminem</em> single out of the top spot. Anything that knocks down Eminem deserves my respect, and I got quite curious about the single - and consequently, the Album. I admit I didn't imagine there could be a Bob The Builder album released already, and it was there. And it was really <em>curiousity</em> that motivated me to get the album. And here I am, reviewing it. You know, I seriously don't expect you to take this review the same way you take my (awful) Beatles reviews, or any others. The fact is that I review artists and albums that I find interesting, and that's the case with Bob The Builder's album - there's only one, so obviously there won't be a Discography Guide here. Sit back and read on.</p>

<p><a href="mailto:sirmustapha@gmail.com">Mail your ideas</a>!</p>

<hr />

<h2 id="album" class="best">Bob The Builder: The Album (2001)</h2>
<p class="medium">
  Best song: <big>Right Tool For The Job</big>
</p>
<div class="medium">
  Track list:
</div>
<ol class="trackList">
  <li>Can We Fix It? <span class="good">+</span></li>
  <li><span class="good">Mambo #5 ++</span></li>
  <li>Bob's Line Dance</li>
  <li><span class="good">Right Tool For The Job ++</span></li>
  <li><span class="good">Let's Get Busy ++</span></li>
  <li>What Can I Be? (Spud's Song) <span class="good">+</span></li>
  <li>Blond Haired Gal In A Hard Hat (Wendy's Song) <span class="good">+</span></li>
  <li><span class="good">Dizzy! ++</span></li>
  <li>Super Spud (Spud's Dub) <span class="good">+</span></li>
  <li><span class="good">No One Can Dig It Like We Do ++</span></li>
  <li>No Prob Bob! <span class="good">+</span></li>
  <li><span class="good">Crocodile Rock ++</span></li>
</ol>

<p>Now, I need to say that it wasn't love at first sight between this album and me. See, initially, I was quite disgruntled at the idea of the catchy, jovial theme tune being transformed into a dancey thing with breakbeats and all. I mean, <em>why</em> would that have to be? And even more, what would a cover of the Lou Bega cover of 'Mambo #5' be doing here? In theory, that's plainly one of the most moronic and <em>wrong</em> things in history. Or so I thought. Before I got the album, I listened through bits of the tracks, and I was already questioning the whole thing. It's that thing of being "modern" and "hip", y'know? Things like that always go wrong. But I was still too curious to let the whole thing pass, and so it went.</p>

<p>Well, what should I say? This is a thing that doesn't work at all in theory, but that in practice, <em>does</em>! Why? I have no idea, but it just does. Maybe it was <em>me</em> who was expecting a different thing from Bob and his team. I don't really know what I was expecting, but in my mind, a children's album shouldn't be like this. But I was wrong; this isn't novelty, "educational" music for kids. This album is a party! Put this on in the living room, and the kids will be instantly hooked, and the parents won't want to run away screaming in agony! This is music that has absolutely no fear in being modern, is exciting and energetic enough for children, and also sober and intelligent enough to even entertain grown-ups. After all, this should be fun for all the family. It's the kind of album that you can have <em>fun</em> with (almost) no guilt. And proof (?) of that is that <em>I</em> have been listening to this, <em>on my own</em>, and I love it!</p>

<p>Yes, I genuinely love it. Yes, there are those "electronic" beats that are oh so popular among youngsters; yes, there are cheesy synths and voices everywhere; but hey, breakbeats and synthesizers don't instantly make music bad, if you think about it. This isn't Britney Spears' new album: this is a collection of fun, modern, innocent and constructive songs made to give healthy, stimulating entertaining for the young 'uns. So why should I feel guilty for enjoying it? This isn't bubblegum music made with the sole purpose of generating money. Of course, of course, there <em>was</em> plenty of commercial interest behind the release of this album. But there was <em>plenty</em> of commercial interest behind every Beatles LP out there, and everybody loves them. If you hate commercial music, go get <strong>Metal Machine Music</strong>, then. Play that one for your kids!</p>

<p>Of course, I'd rather let my niece listen to <strong>Metal Machine Music</strong> rather than whatever crap is playing on the radio (including those grotesque, sick songs with pornographic lyrics that everyone loves), but that's not the point. <em>This</em> album is great for <em>everyone</em>, and I genuinely love it. Really, how can I possibly resist it when there's a <em>party</em> going on in my speakers (or inbetween my ears, when I have my headphones on)? Most of these songs have an incredible atmosphere of <em>fun</em> and enjoyment. And you know how difficult it is to make a genuinely happy song. I say this because I write music myself: it's a <em>piece of cake</em> to make a sad song. But making a <em>happy</em> song? Pretty hard. And remember the distinction between "happy music" and "music that makes the listener feel happy." Robert the contractor's album falls in the second category, while crap like 'Good Day Sunshine' falls in the former. I mean, 'Good Day Sunshine' is a "happy" song (though that's questionable), but it doesn't make <em>me</em> feel happy. What's the point, then?</p>

<p>So, it's difficult to make a song that can make the listener feel actually happy. And this album <em>does</em> it. I can be sure that, whenever I have this album laying around, I'll hardly get in a bad mood. 41 minutes, 12 songs, and not a single duffer. That's not to say that there aren't a few weaker links there ('Bob's Line Dance' has an AWFULLY boybandish sound, and the ending is interminable), but none of them is weak enough to be a "duffer". The whole atmosphere is so fun, exciting and <em>funny</em>, everything becomes great here. 'Can We Fix It?' gets things going in a high note. The theme of the show is catchy and awesome already, and this new "modern" arrangement actually helps. What strikes me here is <em>not</em> an aching attempt at sounding "hip" and "modern", you see, and that's why the music went completely against my low expectations. And 'Mambo #5'? Well, it <em>doesn't</em> work in theory. But the first time I listened to it (at work), I couldn't stop snickering! It's <em>so</em> funny, and it somehow sounds perfect. I can say I enjoy it more than Lou Bega's version. Alright, alright, so the guy <em>did</em> reinvent the song as we know it today, and he deserves merit. But how can I resist a chorus that goes "A little bit of timber and a saw / a little bit of fixing, that's for sure / a little bit of digging down the road / a little bit of moving heavy loads"? I can't. My complaint against Bob's remake is that it butchers the Prez Prado original Cuban Mambo a little, making it sound like the musicians really didn't know the song's real origins. But in the end, the <em>good</em> qualities of the song win me over. Sorry, Cuba.</p>

<p>Other gems include 'Right Tool For The Job', with the funnest rhythm in here. I love Bob's speech about preparing the right tools and not to "go blaming the toolbox". The ending is great, with all those voices singing different lines on the chorus. 'No One Can Dig It Like We Do' is a <em>hilarious</em> electrified Mambo tune, with some of the funniest performances here. Yeah, the song is really modelled after 'Livin' La Vida Loca', I know, but I can't cease to love it because of that! I still can't stand 'Livin' La Vida Loca', though. 'Dizzy' has cute lyrics about Dr. Robert's cement mixer, and I love the way it sounds. And for the "Grand Finale", we get to hear no one but Elton John himself to sing 'Crocodile Rock' with Bob's gang. And it's great, of course: the boppy, electrifying rhythm works wonders, and the falsetto "Laaaaaaa la la la la laaaaa" part is a blast.</p>

<p>Yeah, there are some slower songs in here, too. Spud is given the hilariously cheesy ballad 'What Can I Be?'. You know, this ballad has <em>everything</em>: the "smooth" backing vocals, the bolero-like rhythm, the "chimy" transition from verse to chorus, the strings, the modulation at the end... If this were a Backstreet Boys tune, I'd hate it. But since it's a <em>Spud</em> song, I can't help but love it. To the child in me, it's nothing but a deliciously cute tune; and to the adult in me, it's a great <em>parody</em> on boyband ballads. I hope you understand my reasoning here, and if you don't, get outta my website. Later, 'Super Spud' narrates his adventures trying to scare a crow, backed by goofy James Bond style music. It's filler, but it's still funny. Wendy's song is 'Blond Haired Gal In A Hard Hat', and I expected it to be something I really loved... Well, it's a countryish tune, and I was disillusioned with it, but I realised it's a cute song, so it's all fine. I also considered 'Let's Get Busy' to be the most discardable song of the lot. After all, they only sing "We're gonna mix it up, so let's get busy / We're gonna mix it up and spin around like Dizzy" through the entire song. But then, I realised I couldn't get that danged line off my head, and I had to surrender to the tune's smart, jazzy rhythms. Dizzy's hilarious "scat singing" along to the tune is great, too. 'No Prob Bob' also fooled me for some time, with its showtune performance and all (complete with slow piano intro: "When time is tight and life is tough / Oh, <em>when my skies are grey!</em>"), but I really like it now. That chorus is really catchy, you know!</p>

<p>In the end, only 'Bob's Line Dance' doesn't meet the quality of the other tracks. But hey, it's still a good tune, and it doesn't harm the experience. One notable thing about this album is that... Well, I'm serious here, but in my entire collection, this is one of the very few albums (if not the only one) that I would listen twice in a row. Maybe this has to do with the fact that 'Crocodile Rock' is a completely "unsatisfying" closer, so it makes me want to go back all the way to the start... But no, that's not the case. All the albums I own have a very clear <em>beginning</em>, a <em>middle</em>, and a very clear <em>ending</em>, and when they finish, I feel like I got enough from them, and move on. But that doesn't happen with this album. The atmosphere is so well executed and so intoxicating, I'd really have no problems leaving the CD playing on a loop until I have something else to do. I wouldn't do that with <strong>Revolver</strong>, nor with <strong>Before And After Science</strong>, and much less with <strong>Amarok</strong>. That doesn't mean those albums are any <em>worse</em> because of that, mind you! I'm used to having a single, solid experience from an album, and listening to it only once in a day. And I wouldn't have problems if that happened with this album, either, but the fact is that it's so well done, that I almost can't get enough from it.</p>

<p>Truly magnificent effort, I believe. If your kids love Bob The Builder, this would be a great purchase. But notice that this CD contains the original British voices, and it wasn't released in the US with the Nickelodeon voices that replace the original ones in the TV series. You may not mind it, but I read some quite disappointed (and even quite upset!) costumer reviews on Amazon because of the British voices. And even the Amazon reviewer himself talked about the sudden "change" of accent in Bob's voice. Silly, silly. When will those "Americans" ever learn? Kidding, of course. But, well, this is a genuinely great CD. For some time, I left it unrated for some reason, but now, I won't hesitate in giving this album a full-blown <em>fifteen</em>, ranking it higher than <strong>Let It Bleed</strong>, The Beatles' White Album, U2's <strong>War</strong>, <strong>The Bends</strong>, every "post-Virgin" Mike Oldfield album and Peter Gabriel's <strong>So</strong>. In the end, I simply don't care whether this album has breakbeats or not, whether it's made for children or not, or if the singers are "real". This album has much more to offer me than many other "serious" releases by "serious" artists. Artistic merit? Well, maybe Robert's album doesn't have any, but art isn't everything. Since when do kids care about art, anyway? Kids want entertainment, and the kid in me is <em>HIGHLY</em> entertained by this record. And at the same time, the adult in me is amused by the record since it takes modern musical "values" and LAUGHS at their face (like it's the case with 'What Can I Be?'). See? That's the great think of being a kid when you're old: you can pretend to be an adult when necessary!</p>

<p class="ratingHeader">
  Rating:
</p>

<p class="rating">
  <big>Fun factor:  <strong>15/15</strong></big> - I think I said it all already.<br />
  <big>Resonance:   <strong>15/15</strong></big> - This sucker <em>really</em> gets me going, anytime. Absolutely anytime at all.<br />
  <big>Originality: <strong>15/15</strong></big> - You might disagree with me, but I think this stuff is <em>brimming</em> with freshness and creativity.<br />
  <big>Richness:    <strong>15/15</strong></big> - The good stuff never stops coming. Even the, ahem, cheesiest spots are well written and justified.<br />
  <big>Solidness:   <strong>15/15</strong></big> - It never falters or loses its pace. The lighter spots come at the right times.
</p>

<p class="ratingFinale">
  Total: <img src="images/15.png" alt="15" />
</p>

<p>This is the <a href="mailto:sirmustapha@gmail.com">Mail Me</a> message, by the way.</p>

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